Did they have their own special fireworks? Werre the crowds better there?

So many questions sorry!

Packing is always so sad, I hope you had a great trip and the crowds weren't too bad. From everything I read it's still very crowded which doesn't bode well for next year, I think it will be crowded the entire trip from what I've been reading and where the holidays fall. Oh well, it's still a Disney trip and during the holidays!

It is cozy. The privacy curtain between the master bed and the living space really helps a lot.

And there is a deadbolt.

Seriously though, they've raised the bed on the Dream and so you can stash everything underneath and that helps a ton. They make and put away the beds for you so if it weren't for K's darn duffle bag it really wouldn't have felt cramped at all. And that didn't really make it feel cramped, just junky. I looked at 2 regular verandah's and the one family suite was less. Across the hall made me nervous at their ages but I have looked at that before. I think if you buy and book right it can be doable for about the same but every time I've priced it, it's been more. I'd have to have at least one verandah!

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Reading from my phone, @Big River Grill enjoying a Pale Ale, will reply from home

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How wonderful that there finally are some good news on the health front!! Very happy to hear that!

Thanks for the advice about the dining requests. I will be travelling with a friend so I guess we need to talk about whether it makes sense to request anything. Tomorrow the first of the 5-night cruises from Miami will sail, so hopefully once they are back there will be some info as to when Pirates Night will be. We already know that we want to eat at Palo one evening - ideally on one of the two sea days and then brunch on the other sea day. We will see what we can can get once we can book it. But I am not that concerned as those cruises don't seem to sell that well...

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I don't think you will have any issues either. Our "dressy" night on the Dream was our at sea day and if memory serves, pirate night on the Wonder was at sea day as well but in both cases we were able to brunch on the at sea day. Our 2 Palo dinners both ended up being on port days but it worked out ok.

Hard to imagine. We've been back oh...almost 5 months and I'm on day 7 of this TR! Hey, at least I'm doing better than a day a month, right? Nothing like drawing it out to make the trip last longer, especially when the next ones seem so far away. Helps me get through the winter, that's for sure.

Today was our first port of call, Nassau. Now, I will be honest. Neither Jeff nor I were remotely excited about this port. We've both been to this type of island before and I hope I don't offend anyone but it is what it is. A poor, dirty city awaiting to pounce on tourists the minute they get off the ship, try to get them to buy jewelry that really doesn't have anything to do with that island, nor do the profits stay there or baskets that you may or may be able to bring home. Oh and maybe rum. There are some lovely resorts on the island to be sure, Atlantis obviously the most famous but they are, in a way, islands of their own. Showing the beauty that can be created on an island, a midst dirt and poverty. The island survives because of tourism and you cannot deny it has some beauty but truth be told much of it I find a bit depressing, the disparity. All that said, when we considered a short cruise, we knew what we were getting into and certainly Nassau isn't the only port that falls into the general scenario described above. Jaded as Jeff and I were, the kids were anything but. It was the Bahamas! It was exotic! It was ANOTHER COUNTRY! And for kids whose entire experience with another country is Canada, a place that feels just like home to them, this was a pretty big deal. We had elected to pass on excursions. Atlantis would have been fun but it would have been almost $1000 and that just wasn't in the budget. As a family of 5, the Comfort Suite alternative that many use, wouldn't work for us and there just wasn't much else that either fit the budget or sounded worth the money. Instead , after much research on the DIS and elsewhere, we decided to do a day trip to another hotel on the Island, get a room for the day and enjoy their facilities.

All ashore wasn't until 9:30 and we were not planning to be first off the ship, but we didn't want to be last off either! It had been a late night for all, as all on the ship would be (based on our previous experience) and there just wasn't enough we wanted to do in Nassau that meant waking kids up early. Though we had no set time frame, if we were going to pay for a room for the day we did want to make the most of it and ordered tea the night before to be delivered. We didn't really want tea, we just wanted the hot water to make our Via but had found on the Wonder that ordering a pot of hot water really confused room service and if we ordered tea with cream, Jeff would get his cream and sugar and since they wouldn't toss unopened tea bags, we weren't really wasting anything. I dont recall what time we ordered it for but it came either right on the nose of the early part of our delivery window, or earlier! I am guessing it was a 7:30-8:00 window. It woke us up. So we got up and...

Had coffee on the verandah of course!

Sigh, my poor mutilated Old Key West mug, with splotches of the decal still on it, like melted blobs of paint.

Granted, we almost broke our necks getting out the verandah door between K's bag and her bed but we made it. And boy, the sun had come out!

We checked out the view from our verandah and watched the Dream get settled

My lens steamed up

So pretty!

Id like to be heading out there. Not sure where Id go but sigh!

One cup under our belt it was time for a refill and our first walk on the promenade. Jeff and I like to do this every morning we can on the ship, 3 trips round, 1 lousy mile but its a nice walk up walk. And it let us say hello to Nassau!

It was already a bit full in the port

And we could see Atlantis in the distance

I wouldn't mind a night or 2 here

I could totally do this as an excursion

Getting closer and the view changing as we walked around deck, checking out the slide on the Carnival ship. I cruised Carnival once. Never again. But the slide did look cool.

Love the colors. Even knowing what we'd see in the city itself, the colors really do entice you and we couldn't help but get excited. We had discussed staying on the ship (or rather I'd suggested it) but Jeff wanted nothing to do with that idea.

Jeff was intrigued by this boat, wondering what its purpose was docked where it was.

A few other folks were out for a walk, or run, as well. About half way around we were blocked, completely, At one end of the ship they were doing some kind of drill and had it roped off, so we had to turn around and go the other way until it dead ended on the other side. Wah!

This view is prettier. I think (Brooke?) that this is the Colonial Hilton. We considered a day pass here but from what we read both the pool and the beach might be a bit boring for older kids.

Looking back

Our tour complete, or as complete as it could be, and our coffee empty we headed back to the stateroom.

That is actually a great idea for the boys who won't be into it. Some will but one in particular could derail the group.

So true! It's all about your starting point I think. For FL natives, it IS cold. For Seattle...

Our boys, ourselves and a handful of Northwesterners were the only ones in the pools and hot tubs most of our Alaska cruise. I think it is very likely they will swim if we are upper 60's or greater. I hope it's warmer than that but it really could be anything in Dec I think. When we went in Feb a couple of years ago it ranged from 50-82!

Oh God is so good today I have to share. I just got news that my HS friend with very rare cancer who underwent stem cell transplant and her last lumbar puncture came back clean with no evidence of disease. And my other friend battling breast cancer for 12 years (the one whose DH has brain cancer), who's doctors thought her cancer had metastasized to both lungs (but can't biopsy in her condition, too risky) it turns out she has a bizarre allergy to one of the chemo drugs, very very rare, but once they changed all her meds up she can breathe again and feels so much better. It's not in her lungs after all, I could cry with relief for both of these amazing ladies.

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God is Good. ALL the time! So happy to hear the good news and answered prayers. I will have to come back later to read - need to go pick Jim up and get some dinner.

Wonderful update, Cynthia. I like your idea of taking a walk every morning while on the ship; and you got such great pictures. I was so sorry to hear about your mug and then to see it in person. Would you like me to pick you up a new one when we are there later this year (we will be staying at OKW again)?

Oh God is so good today I have to share. I just got news that my HS friend with very rare cancer who underwent stem cell transplant and her last lumbar puncture came back clean with no evidence of disease. And my other friend battling breast cancer for 12 years (the one whose DH has brain cancer), who's doctors thought her cancer had metastasized to both lungs (but can't biopsy in her condition, too risky) it turns out she has a bizarre allergy to one of the chemo drugs, very very rare, but once they changed all her meds up she can breathe again and feels so much better. It's not in her lungs after all, I could cry with relief for both of these amazing ladies.

Thanks Sheree, it unfortunately was followed by bad, one of Jeff's co workers who actually helped us move out of my old house, passed this weekend. He had been having health issues but seemed to be better and was back at work so it was a shock.

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Awwww So sorry there was bad too. Thoughts and prayers for the family.

Oh God is so good today I have to share. I just got news that my HS friend with very rare cancer who underwent stem cell transplant and her last lumbar puncture came back clean with no evidence of disease. And my other friend battling breast cancer for 12 years (the one whose DH has brain cancer), who's doctors thought her cancer had metastasized to both lungs (but can't biopsy in her condition, too risky) it turns out she has a bizarre allergy to one of the chemo drugs, very very rare, but once they changed all her meds up she can breathe again and feels so much better. It's not in her lungs after all, I could cry with relief for both of these amazing ladies.

You are completely right on Nassau - NOT the nicest of ports! But the rum is yummy, and so is the rumcake

Now that military boat has always been in the harbour whenever we have been to Nassau (10 times) and I think you are right on the Hilton.

There is a nice little walking tour all around the island which leads up to Fort Fincastle, and that is what we do, climb up there and you have a great view over the island.

I hope you had more for breakfast than a cup of coffee! They offer yummy breakfast at the Royal Palace (which we always have) and also lunch! But since you booked another resort you won't have done that.

I'm so happy to hear about your friends' good news! Dealing with cancer is filled with so many highs and lows, it is encouraging when you hear positive stories.

I'm sorry that the joy was balanced by the sadness with Jeff's coworker.

What a nice morning in port so far! Nothing like enjoying some coffee on the verandah! Best thing ever! You really had some beautiful views pulling in to Nassau and from your walk around the ship.

I'll be interested in hearing about your day at the beach. I think we got day passes to the same resort on a cruise stop back in 2007. Pool was cold and my older son cut his knee when we went into the ocean and was inconsolable so we ended up leaving within an hour of arriving! I hope your day was more enjoyable.

Ah - coffee on the verandah! Sounds wonderful, but won't happen on my cruise. Just for the fact that I will have an inside cabin.

Like the idea of the walk around deck 4. I have even thought about bringing my running shoes and going for runs. I think I kind of want to run the Castaway Cay 5k, so a bit of training on the ship beforehand would be sensible (and hopefully help a little bit combating the effects of all the cruise food...). In general I think deck 4 looks like a place that I could fall in love with as it looks so much like a real ship and not an amusement park on water. Those deck chairs are beautiful. But I guess the disadvantage is that there isn't a bar to get drinks from down there...

I can understand your feelings towards Nassau - that was one of the many reasons for me to decide against a 4 day cruise.

I love your Bahamas pictures! What a nice tradition to walk the promenade every day. I feel the same way as you about the port. We've been a few times, so I usually just stay on the ship and enjoy its emptiness!

Cynthia so happy for the news of your 2 friends !!Today I have to attend a wake for my neighbors father who passed this week from cancer !She has been our neighbor for almost 30 years and he was a constant visitor My ex was very close with him and was with him until 1/2 hour before he passed .When I am at the Funeral home I know Mary Ellen's song will be in my heart!! Fly on Home Dominique !

Loved the updates and photos. I have heard similar descriptions of various ports of call and I definitely get where you are coming from. I would have some similar reservations. Loved all the photos! Sorry you got denied by the drill...seems an odd time to schedule such a thing.

The tribute you posted was really nice. It has been an odd week around here. My great-grandmother passed away, BUT she was 104 and her mind has been gone for some time so though we grieve we were glad to see she is now at peace. We have no doubts where she is now and look forward to the time we are together again. I left my job of 7 years and took a completely new direction. Though I am happy to have better hours and something that is going to be VERY challenging, it was hard saying goodbye to folks at my old job and leaving the comfort bubble. Even the weather has been odd bouncing from unusually warm to unusually cold in 12 hours. Leaving me the joy of a head cold.

Ready for normality to return.

It was great to sit down and enjoy some TR's today. Looking forward to continuing to share in your adventures! Take all the time you want, we'll be here ready to read.